In this week’s Scheff’s Table column, I featured my recipe for pasta carbonara made with duck fat. It’s a deliciously decadent dish. Pairing wine with carbonara sauce can be tricky due to the creaminess of the sauce, smoky bacon, and salty cheese flavors. So I usually turn to a fruity, low-tannin red wine with a touch of acidity to cut through those creamy, cheesy, salty and smoky flavors. A perfect candidate is an inexpensive Barbera from Italy such as this week’s wine pick: Santa Giustina Barbera Colli Piacentini ($11.99).
This red wine is named for Santa Giustina, which is located in the far northwestern corner of Emilia-Romagna in Italy. The region is well-known for its Barbera grapes, which are fresh, fruity, acidic, and elegant.
According to the winery, after a gentle pressing of the grapes which were hand-harvested, “About a 20-day fermentation and maceration on the skins takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel, before a couple months rest prior to bottling. The final result is intense and elegant all at the same time.” It’s a clean wine that sees no oak.
The bouquet is mostly cherries with hints of blueberry and bright fruit flavors follow on the tongue, with a somewhat surprisingly full-bodied mouthfeel.
In addition to pasta carbonara, Santa Giustina Barbera Colli Piacentini would be a good wine to sip alongside pasta or pizza with red sauce, grilled meats and veggies,
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THIS CONTENT IS FROM UTAH BITES NEWSLETTER.
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Originally trained as an anthropologist, Ted Scheffler is a seasoned food, wine & travel writer based in Utah. He loves cooking, skiing, and spends an inordinate amount of time tending to his ever-growing herd of guitars and amplifiers.
